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Comparative Ecology of Pinyon Mice and Deer Mice in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado — John Shaqi

Comparative Ecology of Pinyon Mice and Deer Mice in Mesa Verde National Park, ColoradoDouglas, Charles L.

Science

Comparative Ecology of Pinyon Mice and Deer Mice in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Name: Comparative Ecology of Pinyon Mice and Deer Mice in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Author: Douglas, Charles L.

Douglas, Charles L.

Mammals -- Behavior; Mammals -- Colorado -- Mesa Verde National Park; Peromyscus maniculatus; Piñon mouse

_P. maniculatus_                    _P. truei_
  ----------------------------------+-------------------------------------
  FIRST WEEK: At birth, young are   | At birth, young are helpless, red
  helpless, red overall, small      | overall, smaller than _P. truei_,
  with wrinkled skin. Pinna of ear  | skin wrinkled. Ear, eyes, and
  folded over and closed; eyes      | digits as in _P. truei_.
  closed; digits not separated      |
  from rest of foot.                |
                                    |
  Redness diminished by fourth day. | Redness decreases and disappears by
                                    | fourth day.
                                    |
  Hair apparent by fifth day;       | Hair apparent by fourth day; body
  dorsal one-half or two-thirds of  | bicolored by end of week.
  body more darkly pigmented than   |
  venter by fourth day.             |
                                    |
  Young squeak loudly and suck;     | Young squeak loudly; sucking more
  sometimes crawl, but drag hind    | pronounced than in _P. truei_; may
  legs.                             | crawl, but drag hind legs.
  ----------------------------------+-------------------------------------
                                    |
  SECOND WEEK: Appreciable increase | As in _P. truei_.
  in size; head about 60 percent    |
  larger than at birth, by 14th     |
  day, and still large in           |
  proportion to body.               |
                                    |
  Toes on hind foot separated more  | As in _P. truei_, but somewhat more
  from foot.                        | advanced.
                                    |
  Body well haired by end of week;  | Body well haired by end of week;
  dorsum dark gray, venter whitish; | dorsum dark gray with brownish
  tail bicolored in most, but not   | tint; venter whitish; tail
  haired.                           | bicolored in most, but not haired.
                                    |
  Pinna of ear unfolded and open by | As in _P. truei_, but development
  end of week.                      | somewhat more advanced.
                                    |
  Through day 10, use hind legs to  | Crawl well by end of week;
  push, but by end of week use legs | difficult to hold, squirm but do
  to crawl; difficult to hold,      | not bite; agile.
  squirm but do not bite.           |
                                    |
  Walk behind mother while nursing; |
  agile.                            |
  ----------------------------------+-------------------------------------
                                    |
  THIRD WEEK: Eyes open on 16th to  | Eyes open on 16th to 20th day,
  21st day.                         | partly open earlier.
                                    |
  Gray pelage of dorsum brownish.   | Pelage of dorsum brownish; molt
  Apparently there is a molt line   | line across shoulders progressing
  progressing posteriorly from      | posteriorly; browner anterior to

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Comparative Ecology of Pinyon Mice and Deer Mice in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

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